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Monday, October 17, 2016

Clinton Foundation May Be In Ethics Breach With Bill's $1 Million "Present" From State Sponsor Of Terrorism

Much has been said about an April 2012 email disclosed by WikiLeaks, in which Amitabh Desai, the Clinton Foundation’s director of foreign policy, writes to senior Clinton Foundation officials explaining the “summary of key points” from his meetings with the “Ambassadors from Qatar, Brazil, Peru, Malawi, and Rwanda, in Washington, DC.”

Describing his meeting with the ambassador of Qatar, Desai wrote, “Would like to see WJC [William Jefferson Clinton] ‘for five minutes’ in NYC, to present $1 million check that Qatar promised for WJC’s birthday in 2011.”

“Qatar would welcome our suggestions for investments in Haiti – particularly on education and health,” Desai wrote in the email. “They have allocated most of their $20 million but are happy to consider projects we suggest. I’m collecting input from CF Haiti team.”

While this has been seen by critics of the Clinton Foundation as yet another instance of influence pandering and "pay-to-play", this time there may actually be consequences for the Clinton Foundation: according to the State Department, the previously undisclosed donation suggests there may be an ethics violation by the foundation, even though the State of Qatar is shown on the foundation's website as having given at least that amount. There is no date listed for the donation. A spokesman for the foundation declined to confirm the donation to Reuters.